Prince Caspian: Alternative Scene
by Allyson
Summary: An alternative scene from Prince Caspian, chapter 12 'Sorcery and Sudden Vengeance'


PRINCE CASPIAN: Alternative Scene

By Allyson

(A/N – C. S. Lewis owns _The Chronicles of Narnia_, I'm just borrowing a few lines form his text.)

Peter could feel a terrible chill creeping across the hair at the base of his neck and trickling down his spine as he stood deep down in the cold, black, musty Mound. He was acutely aware that Edmund had become unnaturally still beside him. Trumpkin the dwarf, standing in front of Peter, was listening curiously to the conversation between Nikabrik, Trufflehunter and Caspian on the other side of the closed door, ignoring the sparking and spitting torch in his hand.

" . . . He was not always a good friend to Dwarfs by all that's told. Not even to all beasts. Ask the Wolves. And, anyway, he was in Narnia only once that I ever heard of, and he didn't stay long. You may drop Aslan out of the reckoning. I was thinking of someone else," Nikabrik's voice was saying, forcing Peter to concentrate back on the matter at hand.

Peter felt a sense of ice-cold dread form at the bottom of his stomach and his heartbeat quicken as he suddenly realized who Nikabrik was alluding to.

"Who do you mean?" said Caspian at last, unknowingly breaking the tension in the corridor.

"I mean a power so much greater than Aslan's that it held Narnia spellbound for years and years, if the stories are true."

An almost silent strangled sound from beside him caused Peter to look over at his brother in alarmed concern. In the dim torchlight, Edmund's distressed expression shone out from a waxen pale face.

"The White Witch!" cried three voices all at once, and from the noise Peter guessed that three people had leapt to their feet.

As the sound of an argument floated from under the gap in the door, Peter ignored it as his attention was focused on his little brother. At the cry of the ice queen's name, Edmund's body had involuntarily flinched violently in shock. The colour had drained from his face and Peter worried that Edmund would collapse.

"Ed," murmured Peter, ignoring Trumpkin's hissed, '_shush_.' He reached out a hand to touch Edmund's shoulder who almost jumped out of his skin at the contact. "Are you okay?"

"Peter!" gasped Edmund, as if suddenly waking from a bad nightmare. His brown shadowed eyes radiated despair and guilt; an expression that Peter had hoped he would never see on his little brother's face ever again. Unforgivable memories of the White Witch's dungeons, the stone sculptures of Mr Tumnus and the Fox, and betraying Aslan flooded through Edmund's head, at an uncomfortably painful rate. Clutching hold of Peter's sleeve, Edmund replied, "They can't . . ! I thought she was dead. Aslan killed her, didn't he?"

Trying to sooth the panic in the younger boy's expression, Peter calmly responded, "The Witch is dead, Edmund. She can't hurt you again. I promise you."

Edmund desperately searched his brother's intense stare to convince himself that what he said was true. Peter watched in relief as his brothers shoulders slowly began to relax and Edmund took a calming breath.

"You're right," Edmund agreed, nodding, straightening his shoulders and letting go of Peter. "How silly to think –"

A shrill whining voice from the chamber behind the door caused Edmund's voice to freeze in his throat. "Sweet Master Doctor, learned Master Doctor, who ever heard of a witch that really died? You can always get them back."

"Call her up," said a grey voice. Peter increased his grip on Edmund's shoulder as panic recaptured his younger brother's features. "We are all ready. Draw the circle. Prepare the blue fire."

King Caspian's voice thundered, "So that is your plan, Nikabrik! Black sorcery and the calling up of an accursed ghost."

"Peter, we have to stop them," Edmund managed to croak out. "I can't go through all that again."

Edmund's confession of his fear hardened Peter's resolve to look after his brother as well as Narnia.

"You'll never have to face Her again," Peter promised. "Come on; let's stop this before it gets out of hand."

As one, Peter and Edmund rushed towards the door, with Trumpkin in tow, ready to stop the treacherous Nikabrik and to finally meet the new King of Narnia.

The End.


End file.
